You could meticulously plan a trip to the World Cup months, even years, in advance, or you could jump on a plane to Germany and take it from there.
That's what the Ismail family from Mayfair, Johannesburg, have done.
Saffey Ismail, 59, and his wife Zuby, 53, who are fanatical Manchester United fans, arrived in Germany with their son Yusuf, 16, on Wednesday.
They didn't have a single hotel booking or World Cup ticket, just an insatiable love of soccer and a desire to experience the World Cup as a family.
Ismail, who has a Johannesburg car dealership, said: "I've been to a number of World Cups. My first was in England in 1966, and I've also been to the last two in France in 1998, and Korea and Japan in 2002.
"I've always gone with friends, but this time I am with my family because I want to spoil them."
His wife, wearing traditional Muslim garb and headscarf, is by far the biggest soccer fan in the house.
"When I was a little girl in Joburg I never missed a Dynamos match. I was at the stadium every Friday night rooting for them, going nuts for them. Football's in my blood, it's my passion. I even used to drive the local Fordsburg City team to matches and take them oranges at halftime.
"When Yusuf went to Durban for tournaments we would drive behind the team bus, following them," she said.
Yusuf is a big fan of Italian soccer and has twice been to the majestic San Siro stadium to watch his beloved AC Milan.
"We flew into Cologne because we couldn't get flights anywhere else," said Mrs Ismail. "We didn't know a thing about Cologne, but we just wanted to get into Germany for the World Cup. We found out there was a train to Frankfurt 15 minutes after our flight from London landed, and we jumped onto it."
The family went to Stuttgart on Thursday because they'd heard it's a good city for shopping.
They hope to buy tickets from touts outside the stadiums, although, with blockbuster games such as Germany versus Argentina and Brazil versus France in prospect this weekend, they won't come cheap and they could expect to fork out around R4 000 each.
Still, they're confident they will get tickets, and they will stay in Germany until after next Sunday's final.
At that point in our conversation, an Englishman chipped in and said: "I've got a season ticket at Old Trafford."
"Aren't you lucky - there's nothing to beat that atmosphere," responded Mrs Ismail. A conversation about football then started up.
That's the World Cup - it's all about football lovers.
For Ismail, Korea was his best World Cup thus far. "The country was outstanding, the people were so friendly and they treated their visitors with dignity and respect."
He reckons South Africa has its work cut out for 2010.
"It's unbelievable how much work we have to do. We have not started on one stadium yet, and what about the Gautrain and the hotels?
"The World Cup has a huge following, no matter where you're from. The government must start producing, but I know we can pull it off.
"South Africans are so much more friendly than Europeans, and our message must be that they should come to South Africa to enjoy themselves and enjoy a lifestyle unknown to Europeans.
"Our nation's love for football will also ensure 2010 is a huge success," he predicted.